7/15 Middle East Live Thread

7/14 Middle East Live Thread ^ | 7/16/06 | Various

[Solson]

I thought this could be a new thread for today. BurbankKarl's thread did well yesterday.

[MOgirl]

"Jennifer Griffin just said that the people of Tel Aviv have been told that they are in range of some of the missles that Hezbollah have...yikes. "



Hello,

Yikes is right, prayers for the safety of everyone in harms way.

I have been lurking today, hesitant to post because I have nothing of value to add, except my prayers.

Glad to be here, MOgirl

[CAluvdubya]

Thanks, now that makes sense! I swear, my ears......

[Arizona Carolyn]

Scary for certain... Country so small, how far can they evacuate the women and children to get them out of range?

[SoCalPol]

From the UK Telegraph
sounds like a Felenei movie



Crawling Porsches and the prayerful join Lebanon's opulent exodus
By Tim Butcher in Beirut

(Filed: 15/07/2006)

It was perhaps the most elegant exodus in history. Thousands of wealthy, well-dressed Arabs snarled the mountain roads leading to Syria with their Range Rovers and Porsches as they fled Lebanon yesterday.

There were women with expensive coiffures, husbands wearing designer sunglasses and teenagers playing the latest hand-held video games as Lebanon morphed from Arab world summer playground to ghostland.

[Peach]

Rob - Thanks so much for posting that #1052. I just went to look at Stratfor and see one has to "belong"; I thought they used to publish more openly but maybe I'm not remembering that right.

If you have a ping list for when you publish from Stratfor, could you please add me to it?

[SE Mom]

I'm in Eastern time :)

[Arizona Carolyn]

Thanks, U didn't even think to check Wike.

[Fitzcarraldo]

But I never considered Assad's army failing or government falling and I wonder how realistic that is...

Iran could consider Assad expendable. Then Iran would exploit the chaos. Syria has no desire in the main to be a Iran vassal state, IMHO.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I mean I didn't think to check.

[STARWISE]

Seen this video of Pali thugs getting help from the UN?


I URGE ALL TO WATCH THIS


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqGjz7iJTns&mode=related&search=israel%20war

[Peach]

We must think alike! I just posted a message to Rob and asked to be put on his ping list for future updates, if he keeps or would consider keeping such a list.

[defconw]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150886008109&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Jul. 15, 2006 20:20 | Updated Jul. 16, 2006 0:46
Martial law declared in the North
By YAAKOV KATZ AND AMIR MIZROCH



Israel's war with Hizbullah intensified over the weekend as Katyusha rockets rained down on northern Israel, prompting the IDF to deploy Patriot missile batteries outside Haifa and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to declare martial law throughout the North.

Meanwhile. a Katyusha rocket warning system is due to be activated in southern Haifa on Sunday, Home Front Commander Yitzhak Gershon said on Saturday night.

The system will sound the alarm a minute before the rockets hit the ground in order for residents to seek shelter.

Residents who had previously been asked not to leave their houses are requested to stay in the vicinity of shelters despite the introduction of the warning system.

On Saturday, two barrages of Katyushas landed for the first time in Tiberias, the deepest the rockets have landed in Israel since the fighting erupted last Wednesday.

SNIP

[wildcatf4f3]

maybe the Mossad knew of the C802 but the countermeasures failed///...better to say they were surprised

[Peach]

Could you say that again in English? I'm not getting it; sorry.

[prairiebreeze]

Tel Aviv now. Well that's what I've been wondering, if they have longer range stuff. Hezbollah has a few more tricks up its' sleeve I think.

[BurbankKarl]

1:06 IDF: It could be weeks until Hezbollah rocket attacks subside (Reuters)

00:55 Hezbollah`s Al-Manar TV: IAF strikes southern suburbs of Beirut (AP)

00:55 PM Olmert and Defense Minister Peretz pay visit to northern command (Haaretz)

00:36 IDF warns Lebanon army, says `won`t hesitate to strike` those striking at it (Reuters)

00:06 Warship hit by Hezbollah missile makes it to Ashdod port under its own steam (Ch. 1)

00:01 IDF Home Front Command: Summer day camps in Haifa canceled Sunday (Haaretz)

23:57 Israel denies Palestinian claims that IDF tanks entered Gaza (AP)

23:51 Palestinians: IDF tanks enter northern Gaza Strip (AP)

23:29 Yehudit Itzkovitch, 57, and Omer Pashov, 7, named as victims of Meron strike (Haaretz)

23:11 Russian Pres. Putin says thinks Israel seeks `wider goals` than release of soldiers (AP)

23:08 Rockets land in Kiryat Shmona and Carmiel, causing no casualties (Haaretz)

23:05 Arab immigrants in Athens pray, protest outside Israeli embassy (AP)

23:04 Jewish Agency to move children from north to aliya centers far from strikes (Haaretz)

22:02 Peretz and Olmert meet, approve continuation of IDF action in Lebanon (Haaretz)

22:00 IDF: Residents living between Acre, Amiad should not go to work Sunday (Haaretz)

21:58 Sources close to PM: Lebanon`s call for ceasefire step in right direction (Ch. 10)

21:56 IDF: Areas south of Haifa will receive 1-minute warning if rockets reach them (Haaretz)

21:45 Haifa mayor says he welcomes deployment of Patriot missiles in the city (Itim)

20:53 Gunmen in Baghdad seize chair of Iraq`s Olympic committee, at least 30 others (AP)

[RobFromGa]

See STRATFOR: Middle East Crisis: Backgrounder from a few days ago.

I post these infrequently, but I'll try to remember to ping you when I do.

[BurbankKarl]

IDF: Residents south of Haifa will have one-minute rocket warning

[SE Mom]

OMG.

Ok- the only POSSIBLE good explanation for this video...is that the ambulance was stolen.

Otherwise..

[Fitzcarraldo]

Looks like a scene from Spielberg's filmMunich.